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Mad Hatter's Bookshelf & Book Review routinely receives books from Publishers and Authors for review consideration. When in doubt assume the book comes from a Publisher or if you follow my New Procurement posts I usually describe the source of said book. I still buy a lot of books as well.

Dead Men's Books is the 3rd novel in the Felix Castor novel, which raises the bar on this already thrilling series. The story opens shortly after the events of Vicious Circle (reviewed here), but with a decidedly more somber tone than previous volumes as Castor is attending the funeral of a fellow exorcist. Its a glamorous life he is leading isn't it?

Castor is asked to look into the death of his exorcist friend, Gittings by his wife, Carla as she doesn't believe he committed suicide. As usual Castor is also brought into another case, which somehow involves the infamous Myriam Kale, who was a mob hit woman from decades earlier in Chicago long dead. But just what the hell is a ghost doing in Chicago and how could a ghost have killed a man?

Castor is a bastard that can't admit to himself that what he does isn't for purely selfish reason. It is like he wants people to think badly of him so that they won't involve him in their lives. It seems that if he admits he cares about people his world will come crashing down. This is most evident with his dealings with Carla and Pen as he is willing to answer their calls for helps, but keeps them at arms length whenever possible. Castor is still dealing with the backlash of the Rafi and Pen story line from Vicious Circle, but the stakes are raised as Castor's nemesis of sorts, Professor Mulbridge is to her old tricks trying to pull a snatch and grab with Rafi from his imprisonment. Carey is clearly building to something big with Mulbridge and Rafi that I hope culminates in the next volume.

Carey's use of spirits is again impeccably done. In Castor's world all the supernatural elements are spirits of some kind whether they be normal ghosts/poltergeists or werewolves which are spirits inhabiting and modifying animal bodies. The sumptuous layers of intertwined cases, which has become a Carey staple never gets old. Juliet the succubus turned private investigator grows a lot and you get to see what a struggle the succubus goes through trying to "act" human. We're also introduced to a great new mysterious associate who as always is out for themselves, which also adds a bit of tension to Juliet's backstory.

Visceral, action-packed, and wholly engrossing, Dead Men's Boots is easily the best book in the series so far. I give Dead Men's Boots 9 out 10 Hats. Carey has made a life long fan out of me and I'll be checking out the other volumes in the series as he is building to something truly Epic. I heartily recommend starting with The Devil You Know to start with the series. Carey's habit of holding out is the one thing that could be the downfall of the series if the carrot keeps getting dangled further and further away. Readers will want to see more payoff in the next volume.